If You
by Vitreux
Summary: RyoSaku- Denial was always a problem. Especially when you kept running away. The path led to misunderstandings that neither of them had ever expected...
1. Dreams

**If You**

By Vitreux

**Standard Disclaimers Apply.**

**Scene one**

Dreams

   At first I didn't have any requires. By just standing behind the metal net watching you play was enough for me. You stood, as the sun shone on you and you adjusted your hat lower in a way I esteemed. In a way I always recognized.

   People looked upon you. You had so many unleashed powers and faraway dreams. I could never track your footsteps; you were always so swift, so unpredictable. It was your back I saw every time when I wanted to see your face.

   You and I were never on the same lane.

   I didn't wait for you to turn your head back and look at me. Nor did I imagine you to notice me.

   But that didn't matter, as long as I could stand behind the metal net, follow you around and cheer for your winning matches. Those were the things that cause butterflies in my stomach to fly, to have a purpose when I opened my eyes first thing in the morning; and all I could think about was you.

***

   "Please watch Echizen for a while, Ryuzaki."

   "H-hai." After bowing respectfully, I dragged a chair quietly and sat beside you.

   I didn't know how many times this happened… you getting numerous victories as well as injuries at the same time. I rinsed the wet towel and tried to clean your wounds gently, as if I would hurt you with my dense mistakes.

   Suddenly, you flinched like you noticed something. I jumped, because your pair of sharp eyes opened quickly asking why I was there, why was I in the place where I shouldn't be.

   You frightened me at times.

   But all that drifted away when I heard your silent mutterings after you fell asleep.

   "Mada mada dane…"

   I smiled, and cried also. The tears rolled down my cheeks unexpectedly, and I didn't know why.

   Why was I crying?

   When did I turn so greedy over something I shouldn't fell in love with?

   My mere happiness was supposed to belong only behind the net, the line that separated us as I watched you play as free as a bird.

   Demo… every time I got closer to you, my voracity weighed even more. I started to imagine what it was like to touch you, and the thought played in my head over and over again until I realized I no longer wanted to stay just behind the net.

   But I knew your world had no room for a girl like me. You only cared about tennis, kami; you were _named the rising prodigy in the tennis world. You loved tennis with a passion I could never understand._

   So I knew what I had to do. I had to give up this kind of selfish, selfish love before it soaked even deeper. I would start to evaporate from the spot behind the net, from my own feelings- from you.

   "Gomen… Ryoma-kun… gomen nasai… syonara…"

   It killed me to know this was the last time I could ever look so clearly upon your face.

Glossary

Demo- but

Gomen nasai- sorry

-kun/chan/san- honorific

hai- yes

kami- god

**Hello minna! This is my first Tennis no Ohjisama fic here, and I hope you all enjoyed it^^ Hai it's kind of tilting off to the depressing side… I'm just trying to think how will Sakuno and Ryoma act after the things I decided to do to them… *smirk***

**I noticed there are so less RyoSaku fics!! I love them! They look so kawaii together!! So I thought, why not write one? I do not know If I'm going to continue this… so review and tell me what you think!! Ne?**


	2. Too Close

**If You**

By Vitreux

**Standard Disclaimers Apply. Author's notes at the end.**

**Scene two**

Too Close

   Echizen Ryoma never left his eyes on her soft amber-brown ones.

   When she walked down the long corridor, her eyes averted quickly down to the floor and she could no longer feel herself controlling her heartbeats. Her shoulders stiffened, she wouldn't dare look up. She knew he was leaning against the wall, studying her with his big, pure golden eyes.

   Sakuno shut her eyes tightly, and soon her slow pace turned to fast footsteps, not a second later she started running away from Ryoma's sight. He stared at her back, lingering at the same place perhaps a bit too long. Other people walked passed him, but he stood unmoving rooted to the spot. His time was frozen three minutes ago; where in his eyes he could only see the two-pigtailed girl.

   He hated this feeling. This foreign, insidious heat that burned inside of him- no matter what he did, it wouldn't go away. For the hundredth time he told himself not to turn around and stare at Sakuno's back every time they passed each other. For the hundredth time he told himself to hold back the urge to held her hand when they stood next to each other. And for the hundredth time, he told himself not to admit that her cheers for his matches were what mattered to him most. It was getting harder each day.

   Now his heart pounded, the girl was actually avoiding him. And he didn't know why.

   What's more irritating, he didn't know _why_ she had caused so much affects on him. It was as if every word she said to him shook him deep to the core. It wasn't supposed to be like this, he thought. He was the tennis prodigy, the rising star everyone yearned. He wasn't supposed to care for someone enough to left him be angry at himself.

   But regardless… he still cared. A lot.

  The clouds drifted to block the sunlight for a moment, creating shadows half passed his left shoulder. Suddenly he remembered how it began.

   She was fidgeting when he first laid his eyes on her. He could still picture the soft shade of pink that crept onto her cheeks, and how her eyes would look up but when they reached halfway, they traveled back down to the floor again. All he could do was raise his eyebrow, confused on her timid little actions.

   It was raining that day, but his umbrella was no where to be seen. Sighing, he stepped under the rain without any covers except for his cap. He just started walking for a few minutes before he heard footsteps. _Her_ footsteps. Looking past his shoulder, he saw her running toward him, with an extra umbrella in one hand.

   "Ano… Ryoma-kun." She shyly offered him the umbrella. "I have an extra one. I saw you… maybe you need it?"

   He paused for a moment pondering why she had done that when they didn't really know each other. "Thanks." Their hands touched, surprisingly hers were amazingly cold. "Your hands. Their so cold."

   "Eh?" she looked at them then smiled again. "N-no matter." It was then he noticed how less she was wearing.

   "Where is your jacket?"

   "My jacket?" she repeated and blushed. "Ah… I forgot it at school. I saw you without an umbrella out the window so I kind of rushed…"

   Realization dawned on him as he blinked twice. Thousands of questions clouded his mind, but he somehow couldn't think straight. He paused for another moment then took off his own jacket swiftly. Meeting her confused eyes, he handed it to her. "Wear it."

   "R-Ryoma-kun! Demo-"

   "I don't owe you anything now." He waved his hand and turned around heading home.

   Not much later he discovered their encounter, would lead to something much greater.

***

   The door to the library flung opened abruptly, a panting figure stepped in as light streamed inside. Without turning back Sakuno's hands gripped the doorknob and leaned back. The door closed with a soft click.

   The building was empty, most people should gone home by now. For a moment, she could only hear her heavy breaths with the blood drumming in her ears. She slid down to the floor.

   The clouds seemed so far to reach, Sakuno realized.

   She did it. She ran away from Ryoma. And she knew he was paying attention on her more than he ever did.

   _What am I expecting? He just sees you as an invisible person._ She told herself and believed in it. Slowly, she got up to the window and touched the glass. Her eyes burned with unshed tears and by closing her eyes, she felt her heat was draining away and flowing into the spot where her hand touched the cold surface.

   She remembered how Ryoma would turn his head away when she looked at him, and it stung her more than anything in her life. Did he hate her? The answer she thought was almost believable. She was just a clumsy, normal schoolgirl. She had no special talents, she wasn't the prettiest girl. Of course Ryoma wouldn't notice someone like her.

   "Ryuzaki."

   As is on cue, her mind snapped and she swirled around. She knew this voice all too well. There he was, standing right beside the doorway with an unreadable expression on his face.

   Sakuno began to step back when Ryoma started walking toward her. "Ryo-Ryoma-kun." She whispered.

   He continued on advancing as if he didn't hear her. She gasped when her back hit the wall and turned her head anxiously. However he paused when he was standing right in front of her trembling form.

   The air seemed to freeze around them. It became so hard to breathe.

   After what seemed like an eternity, he opened his mouth to speak. "I know you're avoiding me."

   She didn't know what to say.

   His eyes locked hers. "I didn't hear your cheers anymore back at the tennis court."

   Sakuno blinked and almost forgot about the two trails of glistening tears down her face. Ryoma looked surprised then. If her vision wasn't so blurry she would sure have seen the rare looks of worry and panic spread across his features for the briefest moment.

   "G-gomen." She shut her eyes and wanted to escape the situation. How could she tell him she was falling more in love with him everyday that she wanted to hold him? He could never know that.

   He placed both of his hands on either side of her head and to her surprise, he leaned in closer. "I want to know why." He whispered those last words, and Sakuno almost felt like her head was spinning. There she stood, when the famed Echizen Ryoma, not to mention only a few millimeters away from her face. His hot breath tickled her lips and face; she fought to stay in control.

   She was failing.

   Ryoma didn't know what pressed him to her. His heart pounded heavily in his chest and he wondered if she could hear it. In that instant he no longer stayed on his mind, but rather followed his heart.

   Sakuno licked her lips. They were close. Too dangerously close.

**Hello minna! Sorry for the slow update!! So how was this chapter? Evil cliffhanger I know *smirk*. Heheh, I have exactly no idea on where this is going. Like Ryoma, I just followed my heart (-__- this girl's crazy). Anyways, I'm so glad for all the reviews. You know how much that mean to me. So what are you doing! Go to reviewing! (Voice: Just ignore her people. Vitreux: Hey!) PLEASE tell me what you think!! Or else I would be even more slooooow on the updates, ne? (Are you threatening?) THX!!**


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